Position of the German Food Industry -- CEPS

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Date Posted: 02:34:15 02/07/02 Thu
Author: St�phanie
Subject: Position of the German Food Industry

Welcome on the CEPS Forum on GMOs.
Please find the position of the German Food Industry
Regarding "Agricultural Biotechnology/Genetic Modification (GM)"

(Berlin, 10 January 2002)

1. The German food industry takes a positive view of agricultural biotechnology/ Genetic Modification (GM) and considers it to be one of the key technologies of the 21st century. All relevant scientific assessments show that GM is safe, controllable and environmentally sustainable. This appraisal was recently reconfirmed by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) in a statement published at the end of 2001. The food industry supports the responsible use and further development of GM, based on stringent international safety standards.

2. The food industry welcomes the debate initiated by Minister K�nast (Federal Minister of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture) on GM. The industry expects this debate to give new life to the German Chancellor's relevant initiative from 2000.

3. The aim of this debate must be to provide the opportunity for GM to become established in the German and European markets.

4. GM is no "panacea" for food-policy issues. It is a technology with potential for contributing positively to the sustainable production, manufacture and sale of safe, high-quality foods.

5. The food industry expects policy-makers to enact appropriate, scientifically based legislation that takes economic concerns into account and that is also practicable for small and medium-sized companies. Unreasonable regulatory requirements with regard to certification, traceability and labelling would create such high administrative and financial hurdles that GM would no longer be an effective option for the food industry in Europe.

6. The food industry supports labelling that can be verified through product testing. It rejects process-oriented labelling that cannot be verified through testing of products. Legal requirements for process-oriented labelling would not be practicable within the framework of companies' quality assurance systems, official monitoring, or import controls at the EU's external borders. In addition, regulations under which compliance cannot be verified via product testing would invite abuse and fraud.

7. The food industry welcomes the intention to establish threshold limits for contamination. Such limits must, however, be adapted to the prevailing circumstances.

8. The food industry respects consumers' current concerns about GM. It calls on policy-makers and environmental and consumer organisations to engage in objective, scientifically based debate to achieve fundamental change in consumer acceptance. The food industry intends to contribute to this process.

9. The EU's "GMO moratorium", which has existed for several years, must be lifted, if Europe is not to fall further behind in international competition. Moreover, a new trade war with the U.S. � which would affect the entire food industry � must be avoided.

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